New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul has backed off trade demands after meeting with the team brass.
Paul said he had a positive conversation about the team’s future and believes they are headed in the right direction.
He said that he has spent a lot of time with the organization and hopes to remain in New Orleans for many years to come.
That’s all great, but it’s hard to believe that everything is suddenly wonderful after that little meeting. ( Read More…)
New Orleans Hornets star point guard Chris Paul has seen and heard enough and has requested a trade.
Paul has told the team that he wants to be traded to the New York Knicks or Orlando Magic, among a few other teams.
He cannot opt out of his current contract for at least another two years, so this is the only way he can get out of town.
The Hornets are not expected to let this all go down, as they have made it clear they have no intentions of trading him. ( Read More…)
The New Orleans Hornets are well aware that point guard Chris Paul isn’t exactly happy with the direction of the team.
New head coach Monty Williams said he is excited to sit down and talk with Paul about the master plan.
Paul has watched as other teams have made big moves in free agency and his hasn’t brought in anyone.
The team was close to signing Luther Head in what would have been a very minor deal, but they pulled the offer at the last moment. ( Read More…)
In a strange move, the New Orleans Hornets have suddenly withdrawn their contract offer to guard Luther Head.
Head’s agent said that the player is 100 percent healthy and they have not been given a fair explanation for the change of heart.
The Hornets claim that Head failed his physical, giving them no choice but to withdraw the offer. ( Read More…)
New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul has had a change of heart, saying he is open to a trade.
The star point guard initially said that he did not want to be traded and wanted to remains with New Orleans.
Paul still hopes something can be worked out with the Hornets, but said he simply wants to win. ( Read More…)
The New Orleans Hornets have hired Boston Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau as their new head coach.
Thibodeau was one of eight coaches interviewed by the Hornets for their vacant head coaching position.
The Hornets are high on Thibodeau because he is credited with the Celtics’ excellent defensive performance in the playoffs.
Some believe Thibodeau is the main reason why Boston has been re-energized in the postseason.
New Orleans was ranked 20th last season in team defense, so there is plenty of room there to improve.
The New Orleans Hornets continue to search for their next head coach.
The team interviewed both Monty Williams and Lawrence Frank, and there are now seven possible candidates for the job formerly held by Byron Scott.
Frank would be a solid choice given the success he had with the New Jersey Nets when given some talent to work with.
Williams is an assistant coach with the Portland Trailblazers, who have gone from terrible to pretty good over the past few seasons.
Avery Johnson, Mark Jackson and Mike Fratello are other notable potential coaches.
New Orleans Hornets majority owner George Shinn has sold the team to minority owner Gary Chouest.
Shinn is currently battling prostate cancer and decided that he would sell the the team to Chouest.
However, Shinn began to get frustrated with Chouest because they could not reach an agreement.
Shinn nearly opened up bidding on his share of the team to outsiders, but was finally able to strike a deal.
The owner wanted to make sure the team remained in New Orleans, which is part of the reason he sold to Chouest.
Usually, when a team loses their best player, it’s hard to take a glass half-full approach to it. It’s even rarer to see the best player finding the silver lining in his own injury.
Leave it to Chris Paul to shatter convention. The Hornets’ All-Star point guard said that his ankle injury that’s keeping him out for upwards of two months could be a blessing in disguise for the Hornets, who can now adapt to winning on a nightly basis without his talents.
“Me being out, this may be a blessing in disguise,” said Paul. “Some people may say, ‘What in the world does that mean?’ But I think it gives other guys a lot of confidence right now. Hopefully when I come back … we can make a push at this playoff run.”
Unfortunately, Paul, who was voted a starter for the Western Conference All-Stars, will also miss the All-Star game due to his injury.
“I’m taking our trainer with me so I’m going to be doing rehab” in Dallas, he said.
“I definitely wanted to play in that game, especially with all the fans, it being Cowboys Stadium,” Paul continued. “I’m just happy to be an All-Star. The fact I can at least go sit on the bench, it’s an honor. But stuff happens. I think everything happens for a reason so hopefully I can come back better from this.”
By Bud L. Ellis
Playing without their floor general, the New Orleans Hornets experienced for themselves the impact such a player can have Monday night.
Missing dynamic point guard Chris Paul, the Hornets tried to no avail to slow Vince Carter and the Orlando Magic in the second half. Carter scored 48 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, and a 15-point New Orleans lead at halftime evaporated into a 123-117 loss at Orlando.
Peja Stojakovic led New Orleans with 29 points. Darren Collison and David West each scored 27, but the Hornets simply had no answer for Carter or Dwight Howard (25 points, 12 rebounds).
This one belonged to the Hornets early. New Orleans led 32-28 after one quarter, then took control in the next 12 minutes, outscoring Orlando 38-27 to take a 70-55 lead into the locker room. But the Magic were unstoppable in the second half.
New Orleans takes on Boston at home Wednesday. The Hornets have lost four of six without Paul, who had knee surgery last week and probably will be out another four to six weeks.
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Tags: Boston Celtics, Chris Paul, Darren Collison, David West, Dwight Howard, National Basketball Association, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, Peja Stojakovic, Vince Carter
